


Love Through All Eternity

by whatamidoingeven



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Persona 3
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Gen, Persona 3 AU, Ships and other characters will be tagged as they appear
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:01:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9594761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatamidoingeven/pseuds/whatamidoingeven
Summary: "Time never waits. It delivers all equally to the same end. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be... You will be given one year; go forth without falter, with your heart as your guide..."Due to a rash of unexplainable illnesses, Otonokizaka High is closing. Kousaka Honoka is determined to do something about it.





	1. rushing by together, we shine

**Author's Note:**

> If you have not played or watched a playthrough of Persona 3 and you want to, I highly suggest that you do so before reading through this AU. The plot and characters are different, but some plot points are inevitably very similar and reading this without playing the game will likely spoil your game experience. It's a fun time and this fic will be here when you are finished. 
> 
> If you have played Persona 3, please refrain from asking if certain plot points will happen, or from spoiling anything plot-related in the comments should someone reading this not know what happens in Persona 3, but want to read it regardless. Thank you.

Honoka had never seen an elevator so big and blue before. Everything about it was designed around a rich shade of velvet, from the carpeting to the upholstery to the walls that flew by in front of her. 

Even the people inside of the elevator were wearing blue to match. Maybe a little tacky, but Honoka didn’t say anything, if only because when she opened her mouth, it was the first time she actually looked at the man in front of her. His appearance kind of took the steam out of whatever she was going to complain about. 

“...eams and reality.” 

Honoka stared. There was a girl next to him, too. Young, probably not much older than Honoka herself, and she returned Honoka’s gaze in kind. There was something off-putting about her eyes, though, so Honoka looked away and back at the man again. He was saying something, but Honoka didn't hear it. She was preoccupied by what she assumed was the man’s nose, though she had no idea how it could actually work as a nose when it looked like that.

“-othing without its purpose- Ahhm.” The man cleared his throat, tented his hands and waited for any explanation from Honoka on why she wasn't paying attention again. 

Before she could stop herself, the words flowed out. “How do you even SEE with that thing on there??”

The girl next to the old man giggled. The man’s expression did not change.  

He took a deep breath, but did not look away. Honoka tried to maintain her composure, but her mouth was quivering and a few giggles slipped out before she could control them. 

“Perhaps now isn’t the best time for this. We can make our introductions later, I suppose.” 

Honoka heard maybe half of what he said before being consumed by her own laughter, and the room began to fade away. 

* * *

“-oka!!”

Somehow, the man’s voice had become more feminine. 

“Honoka!” 

He knew her name too, which was weird, because she couldn't remember ever giving it to him. Where would he have even gotten that from?

“KOUSAKA HONOKA!” 

Ah. She cracked her eyes open and saw the bright light of the sun as it shone through the windows of the classroom. That explained a lot. 

She yawned, and turned her head to the side. Sure enough, two of her closest friends stood next to her. Though, one did not seem particularly friendly at the moment. 

“How can you possibly sleep that deeply on the first day of class?” Sonoda Umi asked her, though her tone told Honoka it was less of a question and more of a reprimand. Umi had a tendency to do that, especially (and, sometimes Honoka thought, exclusively) to Honoka. Only in high school, but she acted a lot like a middle age mother. 

Honoka sighed, and sunk back into the crook of her elbows, folded together underneath her head. “The sun is so nice…”

She closed her eyes again, and just as she was drifting off, her body began to shake. 

“Honoka!!” Umi shook her, which rattled the desk, and left Honoka no choice but to wake up as she promptly fell off her seat. 

“Ow! Why’d you have to do that, Umi-chan??”

“You weren’t going to wake up otherwise!”

“You’re so mean!” Honoka said as she rubbed her lower back. Umi sighed. 

“You would have been left out of the assembly if you fell back asleep. And lunch.” 

Suddenly, Honoka was back in prime condition as she popped up to her feet and stood tall, back straight. “Lunch, you said?” 

Minami Kotori, who stood next to Umi, giggled. She had always been one of Honoka’s top supporters in just about everything, even when it was something totally foolish. It was a benefit of being a card carrying member of the “Friends Since Birth” club. Or at least, Honoka thought so.

Umi rolled her eyes. “Yes, lunch. And a school assembly, which I feel like you misse-”

“What are they serving? Do we know? Oh, I hope they have the same bread they did last year! It was always so fresh and-” 

“Honoka.”

Honoka stopped, and for the first time since waking, looked at Umi and Kotori. Once the initial amusement and joking around faded, Honoka saw that neither looked particularly happy.

“Huh? What’s wrong, you guys?” 

“Honoka-chan…” Kotori started, “...were you sleeping during the announcements this morning?” 

“W-well, I might have been...it was early! But did I miss something important?” 

Umi looked at the ground. “Honoka, they’re closing  Otonokizaka.” 

“...”

“H-Honoka-chan?” Kotori asked, as her voice wavered with uncertainty. 

“...”

“Honoka, are you-”

“They’re WHAT?” Honoka yelled, which turned just about every pair of eyes left in the classroom on her.

* * *

“And so, it’s with great regret that we must announce the closing of our beloved school.”

The director spoke, but Honoka couldn’t focus on her words. Otonokizaka was closing. The school her mother, her grandmother, and herself had all attended, because some...well, a bunch of students had gotten seriously sick, and a few had gone missing for a little while on occasion. Which was weird, in retrospect, but weird things like that happened everywhere. Didn’t they?

“There has to be something we can do…”  Honoka said to herself, though no one heard it. But what could she do? Find a cure for the sickness? Become a doctor? A policeman? A vigilante, keeping students from going missing and contracting that bizarre illness? A superhero?

“That’s it!” She said, louder this time, and several students turned towards her, including Kotori and a very irritated looking Umi. 

“Ahhm.” The director cleared her throat. “As we continue on, we’d like to give our Student council president a chance to speak. Please welcome Ayase Eli.” 

As students applauded around them, Umi clamped a hand over Honoka’s mouth, “ _ What  _ are you yelling about in the middle of an assembly!” She asked in a sharp whisper. 

“Mmmfh, me’fh fean!” Honoka mumbled, and when Umi removed her hand, repeated without keeping her voice down. “We should become superheroes! To stop the school from closing!” 

A teacher looked back at her and Honoka shrank a bit, while Umi stared at her blankly. “Seriously, Honoka?”

Honoka nodded, and beamed at her. It was genius, wasn’t it? She was about to say so, when a voice boomed over the microphone. 

“Good afternoon, students of Otonokizaka High. As we all know at this point, our school will be closing it’s doors…”

Umi shifted in her seat and returned her focus to stage, and Honoka followed suit. The student council president was a great public speaker, but Honoka couldn’t stop envisioning herself as a superhero. As the image of herself, Kotori and Umi played out in her head, capes, masks and all, she felt her eyes drifting shut again…

A karate chop straight to her stomach woke her back up. Umi didn’t bother explaining or even looking her way as Honoka doubled over and the student council president spoke. 

“...and so, you must understand the importance of being engaged. Just because this change is occurring doesn’t mean that you should not enjoy your time here, or not try to enrich the school community everyone has worked so hard to build. It’s with this in mind that the student council, with the director’s permission, have instituted a new rule for the student body, effective immediately…”

Gosh, the president’s voice was nice. Authoritative, mature, but also relaxing, somehow. Almost like a lullaby...

This time, it was a pinch that woke her up, though the auditorium was empty enough at that point that Umi didn’t even have to reprimand Honoka for squealing. 

* * *

 

“There has to be something I can do about this.” 

The director leaned back in her seat, framed by the mid-afternoon sun as it poured through her office’s windows. “There is. And you know what it is, too.” 

“No. There has to be some other alternativ-”

“Ayase-san. You came here looking for an answer, even though you knew it already. You know as well as I- better than I- that our options are limited.”

“But-”

“Ayase-san,” the director swung her chair, now facing away from Ayase as she overlooked the campus itself. The stream of students exiting the gates had slowed considerably since the start of their conversation. “I don’t want to see this school close any more than you do. But you know the cards we’ve been dealt, and how we’ve chosen to react to them.” 

She swiveled her chair around again, and faced Ayase. “I suggest that you take the time you have left at Otonokizaka to focus on your future.” 

“I-I-” Ayase wanted to go on. She had things she wanted to say but a voice echoed inside her mind that advised her against it. “-Understood.”

The director smiled. “Great. Now, try to have a good night, Ayase-san.”

* * *

 


	2. deamless dorm, ticking clock, I walk away from the soundless room

“Honoka, did you do  _ anything  _ other than sleep yesterday?” 

Umi’s voice broke over the calm of the morning. Sunny, a few fluffy clouds, but other than that a perfect day, spotless. 

“I did! I ate!”

Umi groaned, “Why do I even let it get to me at this point?”

“This is our normal,” Kotori chimed in as she walked beside Umi and Honoka away from the station and towards  Otonokizaka . “It would just feel off if you weren’t yelling at Honoka, or if Honoka wasn’t doing something that made you yell at her.” 

“Well, I’m glad someone enjoys hearing Umi-chan’s voice in the morning.” Honoka groaned.

“Th-that’s not what Kotori meant and you know it!” Umi responded, but her voice had lost it’s authoritative edge, and there was no bite to the comment at all. 

“Ooh, what’s this? Umi-chan, are you blushing?” Honoka couldn’t help it. It was an advantage and she knew how to push it. She leaned over and pinched one of Umi’s cheeks. 

“St-stop it!” Umi stuttered out as she swatted away Honoka’s arm, “I am  _ not  _ blushing, it’s just warm out, and the sun is shining so it makes it even more warm, and-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! Excuses, Umi-chan!” 

“They’re perfectly reasonable reasons for what may or may not be going on on my face!” Umi spat back as the two continued bickering until a quiet voice spoke up. 

“Look-” Kotori said, and pointed ahead of the three of them. On the stone path that lead to the entrance of the school were dozens of students, huddled in different groups, more than was typical for the morning. They also seemed to organize around different speakers who stood higher than the rest. 

“Whoa! What’s going on?” 

Umi sighed. “You would know if you hadn’t slept through the assembly yesterday.”

“Then you should tell me!” Honoka said, and turned to her, “I can’t unsleep at the assembly now!”

Umi rolled her eyes, while Kotori giggled. “It’s all the clubs, I would assume.”

“Oh! Right.” Honoka said. A beat of silence followed, and then, “Wait, why are all the clubs out here?” 

“Well, I think they’re just trying to recruit new club members, since there’s going to be so many more people having to join now.” Kotori explained. 

Honoka mulled it over before she replied, “I don’t think there’s even this many first year students here, though. ” 

“There’s not, it’s…” Umi started, and paused to take a breath. “..They’ve instituted a new rule where every student has to join a club.” 

“Oh, that makes sense.” Honoka replied.

Umi stared at her, and Kotori piped in. “Does it, Honoka-chan?”

At that, Honoka stopped walking, just as the group reached the path to the school. Eyes clenched shut, Honoka paused and rubbed her chin. 

Minutes passed. These occurrences weren't entirely uncommon, but they typically didn't last this long. Umi and Kotori looked on with various degrees of concern, and as Kotori opened her mouth to ask if Honoka was alright, Honoka took a deep breath and smiled.

“Alright!” She said, cheerful, “I'm not interested in joining a club, so I don't need to stay out here!” 

“Wha-” Kotori and Umi said in unison, as Honoka hummed and skipped towards the school.

Umi sighed, “She didn’t listen to a word we said, did she?” 

Kotori smiled, “Nope.”

“We’re going to have to explain this all to her again, aren’t we?”

“Probably.” 

Umi groaned, and let her shoulders sag as Kotori gently rubbed her back to comfort her.

* * *

“What do you mean, I have to join a club?” 

“Honoka, this is getting old.”

“I have to agree with Umi-chan on this one, actually.”

“Kotori-chan, not you too!” Honoka swung her head towards her friend, and offered up the most sympathetic puppy eyes she could manage. 

“S-sorry, Honoka-chan.” Kotori said, and looked down at her desk sadly. 

“Don't guilt Kotori on this! It's your fault for never paying attention in the first place!” 

“Umi-chan!” Honoka returned the favor to Umi, who blushed.

“Th-that won't work on me!” She replied as she crossed her arms and looked away, her body tilted just enough to hide her intense blush. “J-just take responsibility for yourself!” 

Honoka slouched further on her desk, until her forehead rested against it. “C’monnn, this is no fair. You both have clubs, and I'm going to be all alone!”

“Well, you could always join one of our-”

“Honoka is not going anywhere near the archery range.” Umi cut Kotori off, composure suddenly regained. “And I doubt that you'd want her operating a sewing machine.”

“So cold, Umi-chan. Cruel.” Honoka groaned. She picked up the paper with the list of clubs on it again, and peered at it as though they would have changed within the last five minutes. 

For a school with a small student body,  Otonokizaka had a thorough list of groups. Honoka recognized a handful, but more were ones she'd never even thought of: things like the Dinosaur Identification Enthusiast Club, the Idol Research Club, and S.E.E.S., which was an abbreviation for-

“Whoa! What the heck is that?!” 

Umi took the paper from Honoka’s hands, and read aloud. “Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad? What does that even mean?”

“E-execution!?” Kotori squeaked. 

“Why does Otonokizaka have that?!”

Honoka sat, and thought. It was weird, but there had to be some explanation for it...

“GHOSTS!” Honoka yelled after a minute of thought, “it has to be a ghost-hunting group!” 

“Where did that idea come from!” Umi yelled back.

Honoka leaned off her chair and in way too close to her friends. “Think about it! There's no way any other execution squad would be able to be a school group! Ghosts are the only thing you can hunt without harming anything really, so it would be okay for them to make a group. And it would take specialists to hunt them!” 

Honoka took a deep breath, and stared intently at Umi. “Right? That makes sense right?”

Umi didn't respond right away. Instead, she closed her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. Finally, she spoke. “I can't believe this.”

“Does that mean you think I'm right?”

“It does  _ not.  _ But...you might...have some logic behind what you said-”

Umi was cut off by Honoka’s arms pulling her into a hug. “Umi-chan! Umi-chan thinks I'm right! This is the first time!”

“I  _ never  _ said that!!”

“But you thought it for a second!”

“Ugh!”

As Umi struggled to get out of Honoka’s grasp and Honoka squeezed her tighter, Kotori took another look at the paper, “But if it's a ghost hunting club, why didn't they just call it that?”

Honoka broke off of Umi, who proceeded to slump back into her chair no less grumpy than before, and replied. “Who knows? They probably just picked a name they thought was cool. And is cool.”

Umi groaned. “It's not that cool. Besides, does it really matter? You're just procrastinating on picking a club.”

“It is cool and it does matter, okay! It's important to understand the choices you have!” Honoka explained as she sat back down in her seat.

Umi shook her head, “Lunch is over and you're still where you were at the start of it. At this rate you won't know what you're joining till Saturday.” 

“I'll figure something out. Don't worry so much, Umi-chan!” Honoka replied as the bell rang. 

* * *

 

“Minami-san, I have the finalized class rosters you requested.”

“Ah, thank you.” Director Minami took the papers from the young secretary as the first period after lunch began. 

She flipped immediately to the first years, of which there was only one class. With that few of students, it was easy to find what she was looking for.

She'd recognize the name anywhere, after all. 

“This should be...interesting.” She said, quietly to herself as she shuffled the paper under others and filed them away. 

* * *

As class drawled on, Honoka found her mind wandering. Not sleeping- she wouldn't dare do that today, not as Umi watched her every move. But just...thinking.

It wasn't like there weren't things she enjoyed, or things that she could join and be somewhat competent at- it wasn't like she couldn't settle for any number of clubs and still be happy. But this was different- and she couldn't shake the thought she’d had at the assembly the day before. 

She wanted to do something to help the school. She wanted to keep it from closing, not for her own sake, but for the first years who would never have a proper high school life, and for her sister’s future school choice and their family legacy. She wished the logic for the school closing was something as simple as just not having enough prospective students- she could work with that. But with a reason as vague as “illnesses”, with no root cause, and with only a year to do anything about, it was admittedly tricky to figure out a way to help.

Umi had solidly shut her down when she brought up her superhero idea, and even Honoka had to admit it wasn't her best. But nothing else on that long list seemed even remotely helpful, not with things like cooking and science team and ghost hunting and-

“-That's it!” Honoka said, out loud as she stood. It was only after looking around that she realized the teacher was in the middle of a lecture. About equations.

Equations that she didn't have the answers too. 

* * *

 

“Honestly, you're unbelievable.” 

“I'm serious, Umi-chan, I thought I was gonna die!” 

“What did you expect to happen when you shouted in the middle of class! You’re lucky sensei only made you solve an equation. Which you didn’t even do by yourself-”

“Oh, enough! Enough!” Honoka interrupted, and covered her ears, “I messed up! I know! But I had a good reason to!”

“Hm? What was it? I don’t think you ever told us…” Kotori replied, her strides in sync with Honoka and Umi’s, three matching shadows cast on the sidewalk in the dying afternoon sun.  

“Okay!” Honoka said, and ran a few steps ahead of the pair, who stopped to listen. She planted her feet in front of them, hands on her hips as she puffed out her chest. “Get ready, because this is the best idea I’ve had in awhile!”

“Oh, no.” Umi muttered. Honoka glared at her, before clearing her throat and attempting her best version of a serious facade. 

“Now that I’ve got your attention, we’ve established that the Special Execution Crew, or whatever, is a ghost hunting club.” Honoka lifted her left hand and held up one finger. “We also know that the school is closing because of mysterious illnesses and happenings, right?”

Kotori nodded, and Umi shrugged.

Honoka held up a second finger, “Right! So, you put the two together, and it’s basically a foregone conclusion that the ghosts are making people sick.” She said, and returned her hand back to her hip. “And guess what? We can fight those ghosts!”

“Oh.” 

“Um…”

Kotori and Umi exchanged a look, and then both turned their gaze downwards. 

“C’mon! What’s with the total non-reaction! We have a chance to save our school, and you can’t even show a  _ little  _ emotion?”

Umi steeled herself, and her eyes found Honoka’s. “You want emotion? Okay. Here’s some: that’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard.” 

“Hey! That’s not fair! I’m really trying my best here!” Honoka didn’t back down. “How can you prove me wrong?”

“Step one,” Umi raised a finger on her right hand. “There’s no proof that ghosts actually exist. Step two,” Another finger, “We don’t know what’s causing the illnesses, but they’re definitely  _ real _ , so they need a  _ real _ cause.” Yet another finger, “We don’t even know for sure what S.E.E.S is! You just thought up that they were ghost hunters, and then you ran with it!” 

“You agreed with me, though!” Honoka yelled back. 

“I did  _ not!” _

“Umi-chan...Honoka-chan…” Kotori said as she watched the feud that was unfolding in front of her eyes. The two continued to bicker back and forth as Kotori stood off to the side. 

Until someone pushed their way through the three of them, knocking them off to the side of the path and interrupting a tangent from Umi about responsibility and decision making. 

Honoka turned to the cloaked figure who had ran into her, and was rearing back to say something when the person turned around first and said. “Shouldn’t you kids be outside of the elementary school?”

The usurper stood shorter than all of them, and even with the thick coat they wore, were obviously petite and scrawny, and when they spoke, their voice was nasally and feminine.

“Excuse me!?” Honoka answered, offended for a second before the stranger walked towards her, standing inches away from her face.

“I said, you brats should stop hogging the sidewalk and stop talking about things you know nothing about!”

“That’s not what you said! I don’t remember your exact words but those definitely weren’t-eeE!” For such a tiny body, the stranger had strength packed in, and as soon as they extended their arms to push Honoka, the latter fell to the ground. 

Umi and Kotori rushed to her side, but even as Umi turned to bite back at the offender, they had already sprinted too far away, out of yelling range. 

“Ugh, what was their deal?” Honoka asked, rubbing at the back of her head. 

“I don’t know, but it was strange timing. To say the least.” Umi said, their earlier feud all but forgotten. 

“Yeah...I wonder if they know something about that club? I mean, there’s plenty of space on the sidewalk. They could have just walked around-  _ pss, _ ouch, Kotori-chan!”

“Sorry!” It had only been moments, but Kotori was instinctively patching up a scrape on Honoka’s leg from the fall.

“This is weird.” Honoka declared, after a moment of thought. She accepted the hands of her friends, who hoisted her off the ground. 

“I would have to agree.”

Kotori nodded, and Honoka stared down at her hand, clenched into a fist. “I have to do something. Even if it just a stupid idea, it’s better than sitting around.”

“Honoka-chan…” Kotori said, but Honoka kept staring at her fist, kept curling and uncurling her fingers. 

“It's silly. I know. But I want to at least get some more info about that club before I drop it… it was my idea, so I have to follow through. Right?” 

“Honoka, that's…” Umi started, but went quiet before adding, “but where are you going to get more information? We don't even know what the club is, let alone where they meet. I’ve never seen the name around school anywhere.” 

Honoka’s lips curled into a smile, and she finally looked up to face the sunset again. “Well, in that case, there's only one place we can go, right?”

* * *

“Why do  _ we  _ have to go with you?!”

“Because, you're my friends. And you support me when I do crazy stuff like this, right?” Honoka answered Umi with a smirk, and the latter blushed and crossed her arms.

“But it is a little scary, Honoka-chan.” Kotori said as she stared at the door in front of them. 

STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM, the lettering blared, a gaudy shade of red.

“I know. But she’s the only person who would know about any club in the school. If we want to know what this ghost expedition force is about, we have to face it head on.”

“We? You’re the one who wants to know!”

“Oh stop it, Umi-chan. You know you’re just as curious as I am!”

“I am, too, actually.” Kotori added. Honoka smiled at her. 

“I knew I could count on you!”

Umi rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’m a little interested. But that doesn’t mean I’m interested in  _ joining, _ alright?”

Honoka waved her off, and opened the door. 

As expected, the room had only one occupant. There were three tables lined up to form a U, leaving a gap in the center. The girl sat with her back facing the windows, her presence highlighted by the sun filtering in as she hunched over a mound of paperwork. Slowly, she raised her head from the form she was working on to identify the intruders. 

“S-student council president..” Umi said, meekly. 

“Ayase-senpai!” Honoka said, voice cheery and a total contrast to Umi’s demeanor. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” The girl asked. One of the windows was open a crack, and it allowed enough of a breeze in that her blonde ponytail fluttered in it. 

“We have questions about a club!” 

“ _ Honoka  _ has questions about a club.” Umi quickly corrected. 

“So?” Ayase asked, and shuffled her paperwork. “Ask the club.” 

“Well, you see, that’s the thing.” Honoka said, and laughed, though it was strained. “We don’t know where to find the club. Or what it is, really.” 

Ayase looked up again, but this time, her gaze was directed at Umi. “Surely  _ you _ can find them, can’t you, Sonoda-san?” 

Umi gulped, but spoke before she knew Honoka would jump in. “N-no, actually. I’ve never heard of them before, and there’s no club room in the school records for them.” 

“Hm.” Ayase hummed. She took one last look at her stack of forms, straightened them, and focused her attention on the trio in front of her with a sigh. “What’s the name of the club, then?” 

“It’s like, the Special Ghosthunting Rangers, or something?” Honoka answered. Ayase did not seem impressed. 

Umi cleared her throat. “It’s S.E.E.S. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.”

Ayase’s back stiffened. She did not reply. Instead, she took a moment to breathe, and stood up. She turned her back to them, and stared out the window before she finally responded. “That’s not a real club. It was, a few years ago. But it’s not anymore.”

“Why is it still listed as a registered club, then?” Honoka asked. She didn’t let her gaze wander from Ayase’s back. “I don’t think you’d have kept it on there if it wasn’t a real thing.” 

“I must have forgotten to delete it.” 

“For years?”

Ayase’s fist clenched. “I’ve only been the student council president since the end of last year.” 

That seemed to stump Honoka, but only for a moment before Umi jumped in.“Still, it’s not like you to keep it like that when you know it’s not-”

Ayase spun around and slammed her two open palms onto the table in front of her. “I told you! It’s not a real club! There is one member and they don’t even  _ do  _ anything! Why are you so adamant about pursuing this?” 

“Because it's weird! You're acting weird about it! if it wasn't that big of a deal, why would you react like this?!!” Honoka yelled back, as Kotori and Umi shrunk behind her. “Just tell me what they are and where I can find them! That's all I want to know!”

“Honoka-chan…”

“Honoka, she's your senior.” 

Ayase and Honoka stared one another down, each waiting on the other. If Honoka had heard her friends, she didn't show it. 

The sounds of foot traffic started to seep into the room from the hall, as students shuffled from lunch to class and chatted about gossip and quizzes. 

Finally, Ayase took a deep breath and said, “I don't have that information. Get to class.”

“What- what do you  _ mean _ you don't-” Honoka started, before Umi and Kotori grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her out of the room.

* * *

 

“What was her  _ issue! _ ” Honoka said after the final class of the day had ended. 

It wasn’t surprising that she was still mad- she had spent the entire afternoon of classes pouting, arms crossed, to the point where other students became seriously concerned for her well-being. 

“Maybe she was just annoyed because you interrupted her work?” Umi suggested, tone half-convinced at best. 

“No, there’s gotta be something else going on. If that club really wasn’t a big deal, she wouldn’t have acted like that.” 

“Honoka-chan has a point…” Kotori said, as she stood up and gathered her things. “I’ve never seen the student council president lose her composure before.”   


“Eh? Kotori-chan, have you hung out with her?” Honoka asked. 

“No, but I.... I mean, everyone knows she’s very level-headed and smart. That’s just the way she is.” 

“I guess so, but she sure didn’t seem like it to me.” Honoka grumbled, as she begrudgingly started to put her things away. 

“That’s because you were yelling at her! Anyone would react like that.” Umi responded, as she stared down at Honoka, who shriveled up under her intense eyes. 

“Hey! I didn’t-” 

“What are you going to do now, Honoka-chan?” Kotori interrupted, experienced enough to sense another back and forth argument coming between the two of her closest friends. 

“Well, what else can I do?” Honoka hummed, “There’s only one other person who would know something about each club, right?”

Umi and Kotori exchanged looks.

* * *

 

Honoka stood outside the door to Director Minami’s office, flanked by Umi and Kotori, but she couldn’t make a move. 

What nerves seemed to be non-existent when she had met with Ayase earlier bubbled up to the surface here, and kept her from sliding the office door open. 

“You can do it, Honoka-chan!” Kotori quietly cheered her on. Even though it was her own mother, nervousness seemed to run through Kotori as well. 

“Honoka.” Umi said, and when Honoka turned to her, gave a little nod. 

Strengthened by the encouragement of her friends, Honoka took a deep breath, straightened her back, and pushed the door open a sliver. 

It took her aback when the voice she heard inside wasn’t that of the director. 

“I don't understand. Why would you  _ want  _ them to-”

“Ayase-san, what's the harm in giving them the information they want?” Director Minami asked. Honoka kept the door open a crack, but didn't slide it any further. 

Directly across from the door sat Director Minami at her desk, while Ayase stood alone in front of it.

“Because then they'll get ideas- surely you know that. You've known them since they were in primary school.”

“If that happens, we’ll take it from there.”

“But-”

“Ayase-san. I understand your concern, I truly do. But withholding information from them is just going to make them want it more. Don’t you agree-” Director Minami looked past Ayase. “Kousaka-san?”

Honoka let out an ‘eep!’ as she jumped back, throwing the door open as she ran directly into Kotori, who tumbled to the floor as a result.

“H-how did she see me?!” Honoka asked in a whisper, though Kotori was preoccupied with standing again and Umi was helping her. 

“Kousaka-san?” Ayase swung around, and made eye contact with the eavesdropper. 

“E-eh, um, sorry for not knocking?” Honoka rubbed the back of her head. “We were just here to talk to the director, but it looks like she’s busy, oh well! We’ll come back later-”

“There’s no need for that.” Director Minami said with a smile. “Ayase- san and I were just finishing up here. Isn’t that right?” 

Ayase turned back to the director, and ruminated for a beat before she replied. “Yes. That’s right.” 

“Good. Please come see me again if you need anything.” The director said with a smile on her face, one which Ayase did not return as she walked out of the room. 

Honoka quickly scrambled out of Ayase’s way in the office’s entrance, but still earned a glare from her senior as she passed by. 

Once she was a few steps away from the open door, Ayase spoke, “It’s rude to listen to other people’s private conversations.”

_ Isn’t it rude to talk about other people in those private conversations?  _ Honoka wanted to ask, but Ayase had already left before she could get the words out. 

“Feel free to come in.” Director Minami said, which pulled Honoka’s attention back to her, and the conversation at hand. 

She, Kotori, and Umi shuffled into the office. It was easily the largest office in the school, with enough room to hold more people if necessary, and it was organized in a way that drew all attention to the desk at the front and center of it. Windows faced out towards the front of the school and the midafternoon sun, though it was fading, still illuminated the room and the presence at the head of it. 

“Now, what would you like to discuss with me? I believe I have an idea.” Minami asked, a smirk on her face. 

Honoka nodded. “We’re looking for more information about a club. We asked Ayase-senpai during lunch, but she said she didn’t know anything about it. So we came to you.” 

Minami chuckled. “Ayase-san is an incredibly talented and intelligent student. I have no doubt she’ll be successful once she leaves here, but she does have a tendency towards stubbornness. As I’m sure you’ve experienced.” 

“Why?”

“Hm?” Minami asked, taken aback. “Why, what?”

“Why is she so stubborn?” Honoka asked. She held herself in complete sincerity, and stood determined in the center of the room. 

“Honoka…” Umi said, quiet. 

But Director Minami simply laughed, and shrugged. “Girls like her frequently are. When they have their sights set on something, they often don't look at what they might step on to get there.” 

She drew a hand to a pile of paperwork on her right, and shifted through it until she found the document she was looking for and pulled it out. “Ah, but you’re here to ask about a club, aren’t you? Which is it?” 

“It’s…” Honoka concentrated, “...The Special Investigation Tea-” 

“It’s S.E.E.S. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.” Umi stepped in. 

“Ah, I see.” Director Minami said, though her voice conveyed no amount of surprise. “Not the best name for a club, is it? I can’t imagine why it was approved in the first place.”

“What  _ is  _ it?” The words came out before Honoka had a chance to stop them, her tone more impatient and rude than she had intended, but Minami didn’t seem phased. 

“It’s a bit tricky to explain, and I don’t blame you for wanting to know.” She said, as she took a look at the paper she had picked out earlier. “I suppose it could be considered an investigation club, of sorts.”

She looked up to make sure she had the full attention of the three girls in front of her, before she continued. “It was formed initially long before I was the director here. It’s never been a popular club, but recently, it’s popularity has dipped even more. Two years ago, there had been three members, but right now, there’s only one, and there hasn’t been any applicants since the other two left.” 

“You said they’re an investigation club, but what sort of things do they investigate?” Umi asked, timid. 

Minami gave her a smile in response, and tried her best to make her voice comforting. “I suppose that would be helpful to know, hm? It’s a little odd, but they ‘investigate’ scenes where they suspect there to be paranormal activity. How they figure there’s paranormal activity, I’m not entirely sure. The whole concept is rather...unique.”

“It seems like it…” Umi responded. She turned to Honoka, but the girl showed no reaction.

Then, thirty seconds later, it came, “Wait, I was  _ right _ ?!” 

“Only marginally! She didn’t say anything about ghosts!” 

“Holy cow, I can’t believe I was actually right!”

“Barely! Are you even listening to me?”

Director Minami cleared her throat, and the two stopped their bickering as they turned their attention back to her. “So was there anything else you wanted to ask about S.E.E.S?”

“Um...there was one other thing…” Kotori started. “How come they don’t have an assigned clubroom? We’ve never seen the club name anywhere around the school.”

“Ah, yes. They don’t meet in school.” Minami explained. “Since their topic of study is....interesting, and their definition of ‘paranormal’ activity usually takes place at night, they don’t require a space in school to gather. Instead, they get together at one of the dorms off-campus.” 

Honoka almost forgot Otonokizaka had dorms. Since she, Kotori, and Umi just took a train in from the city’s eastern district every day for class, it was easy to forget that many students were from further into the city, or one of the nearby precincts, where commuting to Tatsumi Port Island would be inconvenient. 

“In fact,” Director Minami continued, “I think that may be one of the reasons for the club’s lack of members. One of the rules for joining is that the members have to stay at that dorm.”

“What??” Umi asked, unusually direct, “How can that be a requirement to join?”

“I believe it has to do with student safety. If a club were to meet at the school or at a dorm late at night, and then had to travel home, they would be at risk of being robbed or worse, which would obviously be detrimental to the student as well as make the school liable.” Minami answered. “However, keeping the club in a place where they don’t have to travel after meetings allows them more freedom in activities and keeps them safe, as well. Besides, most students who have been members live on campus, so it’s a simple transfer.”

“That...makes sense. Th-thank you for explaining.” Umi responded, her nerve suddenly back in full force. 

Director Minami smiled at her, and then looked at each of the three girls. “Is there anything else you need?” 

Neither Kotori nor Umi spoke up, and Honoka herself stood still. 

Then, after about a minute pause, she asked, “How do I join?”

* * *

 

“Why? Just why??”

For once, Honoka thought, Umi wasn’t overreacting. Even she was surprised that she’d asked to join- and even more so when the director wholeheartedly agreed with the idea, and gave her all the information she needed. 

“I dunno. It just felt right?”

“It just felt right? That’s it? You realize you have to  _ move _ , right?”

Ah. She almost forgot about that. It was easy to forget when she, Kotori and Umi were all currently sitting around her table in her bedroom, at her home with her family. 

Where Honoka wasn’t going to be living for much longer. It was a weird thought, which probably explained why she hadn’t spent a lot of time thinking about it. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

“Oh.”

“Don’t tell me you forgot about that!” Umi groaned, because really, this whole situation had just been Honoka-esque from start to finish. 

“I didn’t! I just- I haven’t thought about how I’m actually going to do this. Moving, I mean.” 

“I’m surprised that’s a rule, let alone that mom would make you follow it.” Kotori said. Honoka slouched over the table. 

“Well, I mean, it’s not official, right? Not until you hand in your application to the student council president?” Umi offered, but it didn’t change Honoka’s posture at all. 

“No, I agreed to do it. I told the director I’d do it. I’m going to do it.” She sighed. “I just wish it was easier to go into. Maybe if I wasn’t-”

Suddenly, Honoka perked up, her back straight as her eyes flitted between her two friends at an ever increasing pace. 

“Oh.” Kotori said.

“Don’t.” Umi said.

“Yes!” Honoka said, and flailed her arms a little. “You guys should join with me!”

“Um.” 

“Absolutely not.”

Honoka immediately folded back in half, her face down on the tableside. “Oh c’mon, I’m going to be moving out all by myself! Umi-chan, aren’t you always saying that the train takes too long in the mornings?”

“You have to take the train at the dorm anyway! And if you didn’t want to do it, why’d you go through all this in the first place?” Umi responded, exasperated. 

“Because…” Honoka paused, and sat up again. “I don’t know. Something just felt off about the whole thing. Even though Director Minami’s explanations made sense, it was all just...strange.” 

“Hm.” Kotori hummed. “I agree, but wouldn’t that have  _ kept  _ you from joining?”

Both Umi and Honoka stared at her, and she remembered the subject of their conversation. “Oh, right.” 

“You’re not still thinking this is what’s causing the illnesses at the school, are you?” Umi asked.

“I don’t know. Maybe. I’m stupid, huh?” Honoka said with a nervous chuckle. 

“No, you’re Honoka.” Umi answered, a gentle smile on her face. 

“It’s just like you to go after something based on how you feel, Honoka-chan. We would know.” Kotori echoed Umi’s sentiments and then mirrored Umi’s expression on her own face.

Honoka beamed, her smile and eyes bright as she seemed to absorb the affection of her two closest friends, and asked. “So?”

Kotori and Umi exchanged a glance as their enthusiasm curbed considerably. 

“W-well…”

“Even if we did want to join you, Kotori and I are both wrapped up in our own clubs. I’m not sure we could juggle another one on top of it.” 

“But the director said it was fine!” Honoka said, voice ratcheting up a few levels as she leaned her palms against the table, and propped herself up. “She even told me to look for other stuff to join, since the Ghost Hunters-”

“S.E.E.S.” 

“Since the Sea only meets late at night, there’s plenty of time after school to do stuff!”

“Yes, but…”

Honoka turned to her with her puppy dog eyes, and practically begged. “Umi-chan, please!”

Umi blushed, and looked away, but her tone remained the same. “I don’t know, Honoka. It’s not a small thing to ask of us.” 

Honoka turned to Kotori, “What do you think, Kotori-chan?”

“I think.... I agree with Umi-chan. It’s a big decision.” 

For a moment, Honoka didn’t say anything. She sat, and contemplated. It was silent sans the neighbor’s dog, which had started to bark outside, and the noise filtered into Honoka’s room.

Finally, she came to an decision. With a firm nod of her head, she declared. “Alright! I’m going to join, for sure. And, you guys-” She took the opportunity to take one of each of their hands, and hold it in hers, grip firm but not overbearing. “- can decide later! The club applications don’t technically need to be put in until Saturday, so I’ll wait till I hear back from you guys before I turn my paperwork in. But I’m gonna do it!” 

Honoka stared at a fixed point on the table before she continued. “I know it’s not an easy thing to say yes to. And it might be more than a little crazy. But it would be a lot less lonely if I had you both there with me.” She took a deep breath. “I’m not sure what I can do by myself. But if both of you are there with me, I know we can make something happen!” 

Honoka looked towards both of her friends with an air of self-assurance, and boundless enthusiasm that was hard to ignore, even though both Kotori and Umi had years to adjust to it. 

Umi sighed, but it was accompanied by a smile. “It can’t be helped, then- I’ll let you know by tomorrow.” 

Honoka clasped her hands together, and her eyes practically started to water. “Umi-chan!”

“I’ll let you know tomorrow, too.” Kotori echoed, and Honoka directed the display towards her. 

It was stupid, and crazy, and many other adjectives Honoka couldn’t place. But even the idea of her friends standing by her side was enough to inspire a new wave of passion inside her. 

And after the two of them had left for the night, before Honoka drifted to sleep, she found that her feelings of trepidation from earlier in the evening were replaced by visceral optimism. 

* * *

 

_ It’s not going to happen. _

_ It’s definitely not going to happen. _

_ No matter what Honoka says, or does, or what Kotori does, which will be to follow Honoka, it’s not-  _

Umi paused. Joining that group was not going to happen. No matter what. Even if it did save the school- which it undoubtedly wouldn’t, Umi reassured herself- there was no way her parents would let her live outside of their home. 

She didn’t want to live in a dingy, probably dangerous dorm. 

No, Umi had no interest. Absolutely none. Without her friends influence nearby, her head was clear enough to come to that conclusion.

She took a deep breath. It was still early spring, too chilly to sit outside and meditate on this. Inside would have to do. She sat facing the sliding door which led to the exterior walkway of the dojo, and just beyond that path was a pond and plants which would be blooming shortly. Umi wanted to see them bloom. Umi, Umi wanted-

What did Umi want? 

She screwed her eyes shut. Concentrate. No, she knew what she wanted. And it wasn’t to uphend the schedule of her everyday life. 

_Think, Umi_ , she thought to herself. She’d already come to a decision- she was going to reject Honoka’s proposal to join S.E.E.S. and go on living her normal, completely average, life. 

But- but it still stuck inside her head. It still seemed like a situation that was in the air, something to be handled later. It didn’t make sense- there was no note of finality to it, but decisions were rarely fulfilling in their conclusion and Umi knew that. Yes, she nodded to herself. Yes, I’ll-

Images of her, Honoka and Kotori bounced around her brain. Images of the three of them together every day, but still able to have their own privacy, still able to do the things they wanted to do. A shorter train ride to and from school, a welcome home from people who were just happy to see her there, and not immediately jumping on her with things that needed to be done, ways to improve herself to step into the roles they-

Umi coughed. What had happened there? She must be getting tired, she reasoned. Yes, that’s it. 

Her, Honoka, and Kotori couldn’t join some ridiculous group that wouldn’t even accomplish anything. It would send them on silly missions for no reason, but they’d have fun regardless. Honoka would find something to poke fun of, and Kotori would laugh right along with her. Just like things used to be. Honoka would take her by the hand and push her where she wouldn’t go by herself, Kotori’s palm on her back giving her all the momentum. She-

Umi’s train of thought was cut short by a sharp ringing and an accompanying buzz from beside her. She reached down and picked up the cell phone, and smiled a little when she saw the I.D.

“Kotori?”

“Umi-chan, you’re awake!” Kotori’s voice boomed through the phone, as upbeat as always despite the later hour. 

“Of course, I-” Umi scrambled to come up with a reasonable backstory that didn’t include her several flights of fancy. “-w-was studying, naturally!”

After a brief pause, and the sound of shuffling on the other line, Kotori responded. “Umi-chan...I’ve made my decision.”

Umi wanted to be taken aback by that, but there was only ever one reason Kotori would call her this late, tonight. “You have?

Kotori hummed, a noise the phone barely picked up. “I have. It wasn’t easy, but...it was, at the same time. Have you?”

Umi didn’t answer immediately. Instead, her eyes were drawn towards the door in front of her, to the plants that were growing a few steps beyond it. They would be blooming soon, regardless of how often Umi visited them. 

“Yes,” she said, “I have as well.”

* * *

 

It wasn't a hard decision. Kotori knew she would be joining S.E.E.S. the instant Honoka expressed interest. This was how things were for her- she didn’t have Honoka’s voice to lead her own adventures, and didn’t have Umi’s strong will to stand up for herself when she needed to. Not without them. 

And that was fine. Really. 

Joining S.E.E.S. wasn’t what she had expected to do, but it would be fun regardless. If her mother was as fervent a supporter of her move to join as she had acted once she told her that she’d be going with Honoka, it couldn’t be that bad. 

She was all her mother had left, and Honoka and Umi made up most of Kotori’s world, too. if she had their support, she could do anything. Anything as long as they were by her side. 

Umi had told Kotori that she intended to join as well, which was really all the confirmation that Kotori needed that this wouldn’t be as terrible a time as Umi had initially thought it would be.

Honoka’s ideas were often weird, and sometimes ridiculous, though Kotori would never tell her when she thought that. And, well, it wasn't like Kotori had ever had that grand of dreams or plans without her two best friends, anyway. There was only really one choice that Kotori could have made, without putting friendships at risk. Which made it no choice at all. 

But Kotori was fine with that. Really. So long as it made Honoka happy, and her mother satisfied, and Umi comfortable, that was all she needed. 

* * *

 

Panting broke through the silence of the night.

“What the hell?” The girl asked no one, as she tried to regain her breath. 

The darkness had seeped over the city as it always did, the moon providing enough illumination to see and make everything more than a little uncomfortable. 

She stood around the corner of the convenience store, careful not to make too much noise but giving herself enough time to recover. 

“They're always here by now- where are they?” She stopped her rhetorical question when the sound of footsteps shattered the silence. 

Not one, or two. Three pairs, now. 

_ So that's how it is. _ She thought to herself, before she quickly, quietly ran down the alleyway and away from the city’s center. 

* * *

 

Kotori and Umi’s acceptance had come as a surprise, though maybe it shouldn't have. Honoka didn't know. While others might believe that her friends were close enough to her to follow her anywhere, Honoka knew better. They had their own lives, and often her ideas were so outlandish that even she had trouble believing she had suggested them. No, Honoka knew enough to understand that Umi and Kotori didn't  _ need  _ to join her in everything.

Or maybe she didn't know enough, or didn’t comprehend the extent to which the three of them were bonded together. Regardless, thinking about stuff like that was giving her a headache. 

What mattered now was that they  _ were  _ with her, and though she never intended to, there was no way to back out of it now. She'd signed the club application, her name seated nicely on top of the list, and submitted it to Ayase, who accepted it with little enthusiasm, but without complaint. In many ways, everything up to this point had been easy- picking a club, rationalizing why it could, potentially, help them save their school, finding out more info and joining. Even recruiting the others hadn't been hard- they'd convinced themselves more than Honoka had sold it to them. She had just told them how she really felt, and they went with it. It was comforting, something that Honoka really appreciated. Especially considering that what she was about to do would be much less comfortable. 

It wasn’t like Honoka had much of a choice at this point. She had to do this. Not only was the paperwork signed and sealed and delivered, but they had a move-in deadline, too- Friday evening. Which left her approximately one night with her family, and part of Friday night before she had to go. Honoka groaned- and wondered how the other two would tell their parents. 

Honoka’s parents loved her, she knew. They would likely support her, and this conversation would probably be way easier than it would be for any family with less trust than the Kousakas. It didn’t make sense to dwell on it any longer- waiting would just make this worse, right? 

Still...Honoka paused in front of the door to Homura. Her parents would probably be working- Yukiho would be around, though she’d just be doing homework or something. So should she talk to Yukiho first, and then her parents? Or should she pull her parents away from work and tell them first? Was this important enough for that?

Honoka held her head in her hands and groaned. This was way too difficult! She hadn’t planned anything out at all- granted, this whole situation had only started on Monday and had moved faster than any of them had expected, but she had no blueprint for how to do anything, even though she’d procrastinated so long specifically to have time to plan it out. Ugh. Sometimes she was just the worst. 

_ Focus.  _ Honoka straightened her back, cleared her throat and closed her eyes.  _ Just walk in there and tell them I’m leaving.  _ She’d seen this on T.V., though it was usually preceded by anger, and she didn’t have any of that right now. But still, she could totally-

“Honoka?” Honoka was so lost in thought trying to remember the plot to some weird soap opera that she didn’t recognize that the door to the shop had opened, and she now stood face-to-face with her mother. Her eyes were concerned, but otherwise, she didn’t look entirely surprised. 

“Oh- uh, hi mom!” Honoka responded in a fluster, and quickly lost the serious expression in exchange for one as close to normal as she could get. Which wasn’t very close at all, but it’d have to do. “Sorry for blocking the door!”

“It’s okay, there weren’t any customers coming anyway.” Honoka wondered how she knew that. And how long her mother had been standing there. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Huh? Y-yeah, I’m fine, hah! I just spaced out a little, you know….how I am.” The look on her mother’s face read that she wasn’t buying it, and Honoka didn’t have the heart to continue the lie. “No, that’s… I, uh. Just need to talk to you! And dad! And Yukiho, too! It’s nothing bad, or at least, I don’t think so, but I just….need to talk, I guess.” 

Her mother didn’t seem any more relieved at Honoka’s words, but at least satisfied that she was telling the truth, moved out of the doorway and let her inside.

* * *

“So you're leaving.”

“Y-yes.” Honoka mumbled, and looked down at her hands. Bunched up in her lap, she fidgeted her fingers, intertwined and interlocked them, like she had since she first told them everything. 

“Well, this was unexpected.” Her mother said, and took a sip of tea. Her father was the only other one in the living room, seated at the opposite side of the table from his daughter. Yukiho was at a friend’s house, but she'd be back later, and Honoka was quietly thankful that she could approach her separately.

“And it's sudden, too. If you knew you were planning on going, why didn't you say so earlier?”

“That's-because…” Honoka trailed off. “I only found out yesterday that that was a club requirement.”

“And by that point you'd already decided to join?”

Honoka, taken aback by her mother's intuition, simply stuttered. “Y-yes.”

“Hm.” Her mother hummed. Honoka had always gotten comments that her and her mother looked alike- more so than other mothers and daughters. While Honoka agreed on some of the points, her mother stood apart in that she was far more mature, and more petite than her eldest daughter. When she was little, she just assumed that she'd grow up to look exactly like her mother, but as she'd gotten older, the differences between them grew more and more stark in Honoka’s eyes.

Now, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to match her mother’s poise, or her work ethic. It just wasn't who Honoka was.

The silence that hung around them was uncomfortable. Kousakas were, with the exception of Honoka’s father, loud by nature- whatever the reason. If they were sad, angry, happy, excited, you'd know it because you'd hear it. Now with Honoka and and her mother both quiet, and Yukiho out, the house was way too eerie.

Despite the heavy atmosphere, Honoka needed the quiet to end. But when she opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off by a small sound from her mother. It sounded like...crying? But just as Honoka thought that, a louder, more raucous sound filled the room. It was instantly recognizable as her mother’s laughter. 

“That's all, really? Here you were, standing in the doorway and looking so serious, I halfway thought someone had died. Or you'd gotten seriously hurt. But you’re just going to move? That's it?”

“H-huh?” Honoka didn't bother keeping her mouth from gaping as her mother’s laughter rang throughout the room. “You're not mad?!”

“Oh, Honoka.” Her mother wiped at her eyes. “I'm not- well, maybe a little. It'd be fine if you'd given us some warning….” 

Honoka reddened at that. She'd tried, honest!

“But if you'd known what was going through my head when I first saw you, you'd know what a relief this is.”

“Oh.”

Her mother took a few seconds to compose herself, before she continued,”I’m not...overjoyed to hear it. I want you here, with your family. I'm sure even Yukiho would agree…” She offered her hand, palm up, towards Honoka. After a moment to fully understand what she was doing, Honoka placed her hands on that palm, but couldn't bring herself to look her mother in the eye as she spoke. 

“We’re your parents. We’re your family. And even if we don't agree, and even if we don't necessarily understand what it is you want to do…” At this, she clasped her other hand over Honoka’s and covered them with her warmth. “As long as it doesn't hurt you, or anyone else, we’re here to support you.” 

With that, Honoka finally looked up, and saw in her mother’s eyes the sincerity she echoed in every word. Across from her, her father nodded, also with a smile. 

The actions, the words, were all minuscule, simple things. Maybe they were even expected, if Honoka had had more confidence in herself. But still, when she saw her parents react that way, and when she felt the reassuring squeeze of her hands, Honoka couldn't keep herself from crying.

* * *

“So that's how it is, huh?”

“Yeah, that's how it is.” 

Yukiho sighed, and leaned back against the side of Honoka’s bed. “Still, I'm surprised mom and dad took it as well as they did. You really didn't think this through at all, huh?” 

“Excuse me! I thought about it! I did!” Honoka sat up on her bed to defend herself, though Yukiho just raised a hand and waved her off from the floor. 

“Yeah, yeah. What are you going to do though? You've never been away from home.” 

“I know…” Honoka said, quietly, and sunk back down on top of the covers. It had all happened so quickly that she hadn't really had time to dwell on it, until she had told her parents the night before. Now it seemed all of her thoughts were on packing up essentials, and figuring out logistics of how to get to and from the dorm itself. “At least I'll have Kotori-chan and Umi-chan there with me.”

“Thank god. You'd probably get yourself killed without them around.” 

“Oh, please, I would’ve been fine…” Honoka stared at her ceiling. “Maybe.” 

“Jeez.” Yukiho sighed. She had taken the news well, herself, and maybe it was because she was practically in high school already. Honoka wasn’t sure of when that happened, when her sister grew up and gained a whole life where she wasn’t attached to Honoka’s hip, voluntarily or otherwise. She didn’t even  _ look _ like Honoka anymore, not that they ever looked so similar. Yukiho’s hair was always the wrong shade of red. 

“It’s not going to be the same around here without you, you know.” Yukiho’s voice was quiet, sincere in a way that she only ever seemed to show in these private moments between the two of them.

It didn’t last. Really, intensity wasn’t a Kousaka strong suit. “Who else is going to scream at six in the morning every day because she slept through her alarm?”

Honoka whacked her gently on the side of the head with her foot, which sent Yukiho tumbling to the floor, “Ew! Your feet stink, you nasty…” she trailed off. 

“I wash them every day, you know! And it’s not like I won’t be back all the time. Mom said I had to work a ton to make up for this whole thing-” Honoka recognized her defense fell on inattentive ears, and looked at the floor where Yukiho lay. Honoka traced her eyes to a spot on the wall she was staring at. “Yukiho? You okay there?” 

“Yeah, I am, but…” Yukiho lifted her hand and pointed to the clock on the wall. “Don’t you have to like, go?” 

Honoka had, on some level, registered that Yukiho was looking at the clock, but it took her a few seconds to actually  _ see  _ it. “Oh.”

“Oh?”

21:00, it read.

“Oh. OH!” Honoka scrambled out of her bed, and quickly jammed things into her travel bag, nearly running over Yukiho in the process. 

* * *

 

The train station overhead dinged. 

“Train bound for Tatsumi Port Island is now arriving at the platform.” 

Honoka picked up her bag, and along with the other passengers, shuffled from the benches on platform to the loading area. 

It was a trip she'd taken probably a hundred times back and forth, but never this late. Trains to and from school were generally in the morning and afternoon. Night brought with it a different atmosphere, and far fewer passengers.

It wasn't a bad thing. There were less people around to see Honoka’s red eyes and notice the unmistakable signs of a good cry, now- she promised she wouldn't, but as she said goodbye to everyone, well- so much for that. 

The train departed soon after she had boarded, and she watched the lights of the city blur into a memory of the home she was leaving. 

* * *

“Attention passengers: we sincerely apologize for our unexpected delay. Next stop: Iwatodai Station.” 

Honoka stirred, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. How long had she been out? She took a look at her phone- and was a little shocked when it said 23:47. 

“Once again, we apologize for the delay. Next stop, Iwatodai. Iwatodai.”

Honoka sat up a bit straighter. She got lucky and hadn’t missed her stop, but she knew better than to let herself fall asleep again. Instead, she pulled a pair of headphones out of her bag, plugged them into her phone, and put on some poppy idol tune.

She wasn't really in the mood for it, but it would keep her from sleeping. 

* * *

“Iwatodai. Iwatodai. This is the final train bound for Tatsumi Port Island.” 

The doors to the train slid open, and Honoka stepped out, along with a couple of the other passengers. She made her way from the platform, and passed by closed storefronts and food stands along the way. 

“Please be sure to board in a timely manner prior to departure…” the overhead voice trailed on. Honoka wasn't accustomed to the layout of this station- she never got off the line until Tatsumi Port Island, but she'd have to get used to it. This was her home station now, after all.  

The pop music blared in her ears. She didn't need it anymore, but it was a short walk to the dorm itself, so it wasn't worth turning off. 

She had managed to make it to the entrance of the station before it shut itself off. 

“Hm?” Honoka said aloud as she pulled her phone from her pocket. It was no use- no matter what she did, it didn't respond. It must have died. 

Stupid. She should have remembered to charge it. 

When she stepped out of the station, the first thing she noticed was the silence. Not only was her music gone, but there was no traffic- no chattering or advertisements blaring. She knew Iwatodai was in a quieter part of the city, and that it was late. But this was just bizarre.

The second thing she noticed was the moon- it was huge, and it provided enough light that Honoka hadn't even realized that the street lights and building lights were shut off. The whole city was steeped in an eerie shade of green, one cast off by the moon. She had never seen it in that color before. 

Honoka shivered. She wished she'd come with Kotori and Umi, but they had left earlier and she wanted to spend time with her family. 

She took several steps from the station. It was freaky, but maybe she was just imagining it. It was late and even though she didn't  _ feel  _ especially tired, it didn't mean she wasn't. 

Regardless, things would be normal when she got to the dorm. Maybe Iwatodai had a curfew?

When she rounded the corner into the shopping district it became apparent that there was no curfew, and there was something very,  _ very  _ wrong with Iwatodai. 

The street was lined with coffins- black, and all of them were stood up and surrounded by a red haze. Cars were stopped in the middle of the street, and behind their wheels were more coffins. 

Everywhere she looked, Honoka saw them- she was surrounded, no other living creature in sight and everything silent. 

Her chest pounded, her breaths short and shallow and she couldn't- couldn't process what was happening or where to go. Unfamiliar with practically everything in Iwatodai, surrounded by- by  _ coffins _ , stuck in the darkness with nothing to guide her but the green light of the colossal moon, Honoka panicked. 

She screamed, and the sound reverberated off the walls of buildings, in the emptiness of alleyways. It was met with no response, until a distant  _ click, click, click _ resounded through those same alleys and Honoka did the only thing she could think to do.

She ran.

* * *

 

“Is this…” Honoka asked herself between breaths, still winded from her sprint. 

She stood in front of a large, regal building, and upon checking the crumpled up paper she held in her shaky hands, she confirmed the address. 

The dorm was a straight shot from the station, and Honoka thanked every omnipresent being she could that she hadn't overran it. She wasted no time- she threw the door open and once she stepped inside, promptly slammed it closed behind her. 

There was one light on, which lit up only the counter on Honoka’s left, as well as a bit of what she assumed was the lobby. It was as dead silent inside as it had been outside, but Honoka didn't want to think about that right now. 

She took one step inside, and yelled. “Kotori-chan! Umi-chan!”

But the voice that responded did not belong to either of her friends. Unrecognizable, its source invisible as it broke through the silence.

“You're late. I've been waiting a long time for you.” 

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't played P3 and need help visualizing how the map lays out, here is a good reference:
> 
> http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Persona_3?file=P3PortIsland.jpg
> 
> Otonokizaka would be the building on the right on the gold island (which is Tatsumi Port Island), with their dorm being the tall building on the mainland. Honoka, Umi and Kotori's family homes are all off the map to the right on the mainland, along the train route.


End file.
